British Expats - Ticket to Ride

One year on and personally elated that The OH and his Gang are still giving it a go 12 months on. We are back on the capital gain train, mortgaged to the hilt and don’t give a flying xxxx.

Is it the weather or maybe it’s a better work/life balance? – as it is our first anniversary here in Queensland, we intend to celebrate, so here’s just a few highlights to share that may well be of relevance to those still in limbo waiting for their ticket to ride.

Married for 23 years and with 3 daughters, stuck together through thick and thin with virtual glue and way, way back in February 2007 my wife came back from her NHS shift and said “enough is enough, its time to move.”

Australia was no longer a dream, turning it into reality just became Priority Numero 1. We hadn’t sold for 16 years so when the House did go on the market it felt quite emotional, it was our home with lovely memories built in, but selling and buying in this case meant moving to the Southern Hemisphere a big challenge, big change, and with only a few months of internet research plus joining BE in August, we decided to go for it, impetuous, anyways, 'Matron'[don’t tell her I’ve called her that will you]was driving this at a 100mph, had an interview in the early hours with some folks at the PA [Princess Alexandra] and was offered a job starting July.

I’m going to skip selling the property but suffice to say we didn’t get out as much as we put in financially, we made a habit of making plenty of financial cock ups – bloody endowments…..moving on.

No problem, House SOLD and where there’s a will there’s a way by heck we landed with 3 suitcases on a temporary 457 visa with just a few bucks in the wallet and just 1 of our 3 girls[more on them later]. Next….

On arrival at BNE, John, a Kiwi on the Avis desk, bless him, sorted out a motor and enroute stopping in Hong Kong, my trusted Apple sourced a nice apartment in Newstead for a week, isn’t t’internet great and thanks to another BE member [neil.b] who gave me a contact with rentals available in Redland Bay.

Gerry and Gill [Mexicans]found us a pad for $400 a week, we paid the Bond and then went about our business like headless chickens trying to get the best cash deals for the usual essentials, thanks to Super Amart, The Good Guys, and especially Aldi for the blow up beds that were on special that week – phew. Ozforex kicked in and the Oz Bank Account was opened – easy peasy.

We had to hire the car for another week, but as I did such a good deal on a new motor, the cost more or less paid for itself. All our stuff was stored in Gerrys garage and after 7 days we left Newstead, [nice friendly peeps their too] Brisbane CBD and the Breakfast Creek [cracking steaks grommit] we headed south to RB.

I’m rambling on so lets say that during the formative months we had packed our bags a few times for the UK due to losing our second skin and being out of our comfort zone but we managed to get through it – some folks don’t and I can well understand why they return so to all those on the MBTTUK good luck.

Starting afresh really does focus the mind and taking one day at a time did the trick, being able to talk things through with coping strategies helped us on the emotional rollercoaster.

'Matron' needed a nest, and after months of searching for a block of land, we settled on a pitch at Mount Cotton, Cotton Ridge we, like many settlers had never been before and we thought it was the right thing and a must do to live the Aussie dream and build from scratch…..

My girls..told you about one of our daughters our youngest out of three that came over with us, well the middle daughter decided that she also wanted to give it a go and came over on her lonesome and was reunited in November – great day and a few tears….only recently she told me that it was the right choice. Good on her.

Being on a temporary anything is c**p, but on a temporary visa is nigh on madness, one mistake that cost us time, effort and money, being in limboland is no fun so when we applied for PR and only recently rubber stamped has in fact reinforced our resolve, going over to NZ to evidence the Visa is a tad ridiculous and I hope that one day someone with sense will realise that being onshore in Australia then going offshore to NZ then coming back again is nonsense, make an exception subject to the usual of course– JAJ don’t start please.

In hindsight…

NZ was great though and Rotorua and its geothermal mud bath plus the trip on the Huka Falls jet was unforgettable. What an adrenaline rush.

There’s so much more – Hamilton Island, went for my 50th and loved it.
I bought some sticks and took up the great game, lovely courses here, and managed to find work after a few months to keep me on the straight and narrow.

The house build is now at the top of our Agenda we are due to move in March 08 and this will be a real test of my patience and tolerance, I’m really looking forward to next year and can’t wait for that day to move into our new home, bring it on.

And there’s more…so much more, isn’t it great when a plan comes together[it changes everyday mind]:blink: